Inquest.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7881, 5 July 1904, Page 3

Inquest.

- After we went to press yesterday, th,'.v following evidence was-"given _;in. connection with the- death of ; Chits'-.--'lvlitchell, killed xhy.. a gunshot wound at Kairanga..yesterday :—

Alex, Farmer; Kairanga, said the deceased had been working for irim for the past eight weeks. He was to have left at the end .of the present week. Deceased did not express regret at leaving, but appeared sorry when he received notice. Witness knew nothing of the, occurrence, till 7 a.m. yesterday morning, whew J,. English, one of the . employees, told, witness- of what had -happened,"- Witness accompanied English behind the stable where they found the body. Deceased was dead. The gun belonged to witness' son and the ammunition was kept in the room where deceased slept. ' Witness could not give any reason for the de*l. Chas. Blackler, farmer, Eongotea, said,., deceased came from Pleasant Point, Timaru,. where his relatives' still lived. Deceased came to this island with witness in April last and, with the exception of a week with witness had been working for Mr Farmer since. He • was with witness yesterday, and beyond being a bit dudl was his usual self. He told witness that he was finishing- work with. Sir Farmer and witness promised him work with the team. When he was going home deceased asked witness if he could not .give him work to speak to some likely person. Hte added it was disheartening to get out of work at this time of the year. Boarding, he said would soon eat up all his wages, and witness told him to come and stay witKhim.' Deceased then said he would come and see witness during the week. He was a steady, respectable young man, and witness laiew of no reason for the rash act. -He was about 19 years of age. He hadn't any trouble. Deceased expected his sister up. from the south this week.

Jno., Eobt. English, employed by Mr Farmer, said he last saw deceased yesterday morning, and he was then just ihe same as usual. Oh his -way to milk this morning- witness passed where deceased was lying on his back. 'The head had been half blown off. The 'butt end of the gun was lying beside one ■ foot, the other leg thrown over it- The muzzle was beside his head. s Deceased always remained at the farm at night.

G. Farmer,. also, gave evidence as to deceased's denieanoil_ on Sunday which'was the same as usual. The gf_n beloug-ed to witiiess and sometimes went , off accidentally, but witness had it repaired by a gunsmith and he had also attended to; it himself. He did not think it would go off accidentally now. Had never known deceased to -go out shooting. Constable Gleeson, stationed at Rongotea, described the position in which he found deceased and the extent of the injuries, which werg ghastly in their details. The gun had been loaded in both barrels; the right barrel had been fired. Deceased's hat, o£ -soft, felt, was close to his head, but half of it had been < blown away ; the remaining- portion j was burnt and blackened with powdei.;. A close boarded ience and as : shed, dose beside, . also showed; j marks of the tragedy. Deceased was, i evidently, standing when he fired the J sSiot., None of the letters found on .deceased, or a search among' his clothes and effects, threw any light on the occurrence. A verdict of death from a gunshot wound, self inflicted, during a fit of despondency, was returned.